Absolution
by KinHiromi
Summary: <html><head></head>Absolution - the act of absolving; specifically : a remission of sins pronounced by a priest (as in the sacrament of reconciliation). AoKuro, AoKise, KiKuro. Rated M for sexual themes. One-shot.</html>


Title: Absolution

Anime: Kuroko no Basuke/Kuroko's Basketball

Summary: Absolution - the act of absolving; specifically : a remission of sins pronounced by a priest (as in the sacrament of reconciliation)

Genre: Angst

Pairing(s): Aomine/Kuroko, Aomine/Kise, Kise/Kuroko

Notes: AU! Was written in spring, do not ask me why I haven't published this fic before.

* * *

><p>If someone else were to come and tell him about the fact, Aomine wouldn't have believed, that Kise could ever be unfaithful. Of course, Aomine could never dismiss the fact that things had been shaky between them during the last few months. They had been busy as their graduation was coming, with so many projects along the way. Still, Aomine had never considered Kise to be someone that could commit to such a thing as infidelity.<p>

However, he had seen the evidence of it with his own eyes. Embraced by the darkness of the university's auditorium where Kise's theater team were supposed to be having rehearsals, Aomine witnessed how Kise had taken someone else into his arms, embraced him the way he did Aomine- _once upon a time_; his fiery eyes stared at the guy in undisclosed passion, before they fluttered close as his and the stranger's lips melted into a heated kiss. Their hands roamed, unhesitant as they undid each others' clothes; Kise's suppressed moan echoed, his back arched, fingers buried deep into the tangle of the stranger's hair whose mouth began to travel the expanse of his chest, down to his belly and to the crotch.

_"Take me already..."_

Aomine had heard the stranger panted. It reminded him the tone of Kise's eerily familiar voice. He had heard the expression for so many times, but never during the beginning of their sexual relationship- Kise was too reclusive and proud then. The lack of reluctance and restrains were the cue that told him it wasn't the first time Kise and the stranger had done it. It was also when Aomine knew that he had seen enough, that the damage had been done, and that there was nothing he could do to reverse both the knowledge and the fact.

Back in his dorm, Aomine abandoned the duffel bag as his endurance came to an end. His chest was constricted, pressed by turmoil of desperation and rage. Falling on his hands and knees on the hardwood floor, Aomine allowed himself a moment of weakness as he broke down into a crying mess.

Aomine stared at the face of the boy- who delivered his breakfast, young and innocent-looking he was, and doubted the fact that it was indeed the very same person he saw kissing Kise the other day. He couldn't possibly be a day older than 20, Aomine had thought as he slowly sipped his coffee, with his still undefined facial feature, soft smile and all.

_Kuroko Tetsuya_, his name tag read.

Of course, Aomine could not deny the charm the boy had. Throughout his breakfast he had adamantly stared at Kuroko Tetsuya, watching his every move. He had a beautiful face that was delicately framed by baby blue locks. The way he laughed to the customer was like infectious mirth, drawing smiles from those who heard and saw. And by the time he finished the croissant, coincidentally one of the best he had ever tasted, Aomine had gotten to doubt his own judgment.

_What if I was wrong? What if I made a mistake and it turns out that he wasn't the one?_

But he was right, after all. He had gone through length to discover the stranger's true identity. There was no way that Aomine could have made a mistake in identifying the tiny hand that he saw resting on Kise's chest and nape, the full lips that he saw engulfing Kise's, or the exact blue shade of the hair which Kise had grasped passionately. It was indeed the boy- the one Kise seeing behind his back, the other party of the blonde's infidelity which he himself witnessed.

By the time Aomine finished his breakfast, his determination had returned. He waved to the boy- Kuroko Tetsuya- and asked for his bill, while casually throwing in some compliment on the croissant. Aomine saw Kuroko Tetsuya's eyes flickered with smile bloomed on his face.

"It's our pleasure! We hope to serve you again sometime soon." He said.

_Be careful of what you wish for..._

Aomine had smiled back, "Most definitely."

He had then made a habit of making appearances at the diner where Kuroko Tetsuya worked. Through the hours he spent sitting on a bench at nearby park, watching as Kuroko Tetsuya arrived and left on his old bike, he was able to map the boy's shift throughout the week. Aomine conveniently created a series of coincidences, appearing in the middle of Kutoko's shift, causing the boy to notice him with his frequent visits.

On the third Saturday since his initial appearance in the coffee shop, Aomine finally harvested the fruit of his labor. As usual, Kuroko was the one who attended Aomine's corner table. Only that time, he did not just pick and deliver the dark's order with his usual smile. Instead he lingered, eyes flickered with curiosity as he watched Aomine spread some butter over his warm croissant.

"You sure come here often..." He said.

Aomine looked up from his meal and raised his eyebrows. "Isn't it supposed to be a good thing? I told you I found the croissant remarkably delicious." So far, he had not lied.

"Of course," Kuroko smiled in embarrassment. "I just find it strange how you suddenly appeared one day, and become a regular in no time."

"Well..." Aomine stretched his body, preparing to tell his first lie. "I recently started working part time somewhere nearby, and I haven't found any other joint I consider better in the vicinity."

Kuroko hesitated for a second, before he spoke again. "I... I notice that you have been staring at me from time to time."

"Hmm..." Aomine smiled in amusement as he watched the boy's face grew red. "Maybe I am? What do you make of it?"

Before Kuroko managed to reply, there was a sound of chime from the kitchen. It was a call for him, an order was ready to be delivered.

"I- I have to go." He smiled awkwardly and scurried away. But the blush on his face was evident enough for Aomine to see.

_Saved by the bell_, Aomine thought. _How lucky you are, really._

-xxx-

"Where were you these last few days?"

Kise's question greeted Aomine as soon as he arrived back at his dorm, still in his damp varsity jersey. He had just finished the afternoon training session with the basketball team. Aomine dropped his duffel bag on the floor, took several big gulps from his water bottle before replying.

"Out at the court. The season's determining matches are coming soon and a lot of scouts are coming. I have to be there if I want to be discovered."

"You didn't even turn on your phone."

"I forgot to charge it somehow." Aomine lied down on his bed, at the opposite end from where Kise sat. "I have so many things in my mind that I keep forgetting things."

"Well, I just hope that you will not forget my graduation stage." Kise sighed heavily.

Aomine raised his head "It's been scheduled?"

Kise nodded, pointing at the envelope he had placed earlier on Aomine's bedside drawer. "You will find the detail in the invitation. There's also a backstage pass."

"Backstage pass? Will I need it?" Aomine's hand reached out and took the envelope in his hands.

"No," Kise shook his head. "_I_ will need you there."

Aomine looked up into Kise's eyes and, beyond the straight stare, saw the lurking anxiety. He, however, chose to ignore it, and toying with the envelope in his hand instead. He read neat, classic print emblazoned in gold ink and raised his eyebrows.

"La Traviata?"

Kise nodded, "Yeah. Haven't I told you? My project is adapting the Opera's piece into musical stage."

"I must have forgotten it..." Aomine words trailed off as his mind was occupied by otherwise thought. _"how appropriate..."_

-xxx-

Things had not happened quickly, but after the encounter Kuroko had somehow gradually opened up. Aomine felt the slightly different treatment Kuroko gave him during the visit- subtle, but it was there. First, he began to call Aomine by sure name (instead of Mr, sir, etc); had asked for it few days after their conversation.

_"If you're going to be one of the regulars, I think it's proper if I call you by your last name. Besides, it's just fair -I assume you've known mine."_

Aomine also noticed how the number of accompanying cookies that came with his coffee multiplied, and how Kuroko deliberately added extra blocks of butter- knowing that Aomine took no other condiment with his croissant. Slowly, the thing between them developed itself into friendship, in which Aomine began to sit at the bar instead of corner table, whereas Kuroko would come over and chat up with him whenever he was not working.

It was like a chain reaction, then, things between them; Aomine began to wait for the bluenette's shift to end, they would walk together and talk along the way to the station where Kuroko would take his train back home. After the first few walks, Kuroko started to agree stopping by at the park and eating the food they bought at the foodcart. Later, he would allow Aomine to pay for his coffee or food, and one time, to walk him home. He had not, however, consented to Aomine's invitation for a dinner outside the walk to the station, or even stopping by at the movies after work.

Aomine had asked why, and Kuroko's answer was "I still have some sort of unfinished business which is stopping me from coming."

To the ambiguous answer, Aomine had kept silent. Kuroko did not explain, and Aomine did not ask further. The latter, however, had his own guesses.

-xxx-

It was an evening at the end of spring where the sky was dark and raining cats and dog, around the fifteenth week since Aomine first came to the coffee shop, when they first kissed. Droplets had begun to fall even before they left the coffee shop for their usual walk to the train station. However, no one could have expected the swiftly-coming thunder cloud and the amount of rain it brought. It was chaotic, how people on the busy street frantically ran for shelter, and for a second Kuroko was carried away by a hoard of mass. It was when Aomine grabbed him by the waist, blessed his sportsman reflex, and pulled him closer.

"Hold on to me," Aomine whispered into Kuroko's ear, and he led them both to struggle against the stream of scattering people. "don't get lost..."

They reached a dry shelter of canopied terrace of a shop, but Aomine did not let go. The arms that wrapped around Kuroko's shoulder lingered, and it sent shivers to the bluenette's skin, that was totally unrelated to the cold weather. He felt a churn in his stomach, and despite the noises, sight and smell, his senses was numb for all but the heat that radiated from Aomine's body. He closed his eyes, bracing himself; Aomine's scent was of sweat, woody aftershave and clean cotton, and he found himself overwhelmed.

"Tetsu..."

He heard Aomine called and looked up; the older guy's doe eyes grazed upon him. And it was purely instinctive when Kuroko lifted up his chin and stood on the tip of his toes; he closed his eyes once again as their lips melted together into a kiss. Aomine's lips were soft albeit slightly chapped, his mouth tasted like caramel and butter from the croissant and macchiato that he had earlier. Kuroko found himself parting his mouth, pressing closer, needing more of Aomine-

...and it was then when they felt a noticeable buzz from Kuroko's pocket. Kuroko quickly pulled away, apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I-" he did not finished his sentence as the message took over his concentration.

Aomine noticed how his expression darkened with something that could be understood as guilt; how he avoided the dark teen's stare and subconsciously distanced himself by stepping away.

"What's wrong?" Aomine asked.

"I'm sorry..." Kuroko shook his head as he apologized once more. "I can't, I-I have to go..."

The statement was definite, putting an end to their interaction that evening. Kuroko quickly turned around and, despite the rain, went away in quick steps.

-xxx-

What happened on the evening when they kissed had changed the dynamic between them. When Aomine stepped into the diner the morning after, he had not anticipated that Kuroko would not be there. Kuroko had asked for a day off, the guy who tends the cash register said. That morning, Aomine left quickly as soon as he finished his breakfast, without staying for a chat like he usually did. The day after, Kuroko was still nowhere to be found. A pinkette girl who worked on the same shift and recognized Aomine told him that Kuroko had asked for a schedule change, and that she had no idea about Kuroko's new schedule. Aomine suspected that she actually knew, but refused to tell him due to the bluenette's request. On the next several days, Aomine had made a habit of dropping by at the diner at odd times, trying to see if Kuroko was there. But still, his labor accounted to nothing.

After a week, Aomine decided that he would wait for Kuroko outside his class. Aomine had gone through the effort of finding out Kuroko's courses through his friends who worked part time at the administrative office, which brought him to stand in front of the Art History class first thing in the morning. He waited for almost an hour, not wanting to miss the boy if he happened to leave early, until he saw Kuroko walked out of the teaching hall while chatting with a group of friend.

"Tetsu," he called out.

The chatter that buzzed around the small group came to a halt, leaving Aomine slightly embarrassed, but it paid off when Kuroko recognized his presence. He said something to his friends, Aomine noticed their acknowledgment, and they left him alone.

"How have you been?" Kuroko asked casually.

"You don't seem to be surprised seeing me here." Aomine raised his eyebrows, ignoring the question, "Considering the effort you had pull to avoid me."

"With your persistence?" Kuroko smiled, "I figured you would find me eventually."

Aomine had actually prepared a situation where Kuroko would try to escape him. That was why he couldn't help but feel relieved when he noticed that there was no tension in Kuroko's voice.

"So... what's the deal with the disappearance act?" Aomine asked directly. "I thought that I had come clean with my intention; you seemed to know about it and it did not appear as if you minded the least. But when we finally had some... progress- you just backed off and left."

What Kuroko did next was sort of surprising; he stepped closer and brought his arms to circle around Aomine's neck as he leaned closer to a kiss, but Aomine did not pull away. If he had learn something about Kuroko during the period they got to know each other it was that Kuroko was impulsive, and the intimate gesture was one of his bouts of spontaneity. The kiss was innocent; soft, butterfly pecks on his lips, that was supposed to be meant as some sort of assurance, and Kuroko had pulled away a second later.

"I already told you, I have some kind of an unfinished issue." He said in a low voice. "Please try to understand, and wait if you would, although it probably comes out like asking too much from you-"

"No, I get it." Aomine cut him mid-sentence. "I mean... hey, I've come this far right? I might as well wait some more time. It's just that- need to know... if you would be there."

It took Kuroko a few seconds, in which Aomine learned that his expression was something of pensive, but in the end he smiled and leaned for another kiss.

"I will be there," Kuroko whispered into the dark teen's mouth as soon as they broke off. And with that, he stepped away and turned around, leaving Aomine speechless and curious.

-xxx-

On the night of Kise's musical stage, Aomine deliberately arrived late to the event. He managed to reach his seat right around the time when the operator began to turn off the lighting over the audience's area. Buzz of excitement filled the air, and looking around Aomine recognized some familiar faces- Kise's dorm neighbors, his batch mates.

Checking his phone to make sure that he had turned it silent, Aomine noticed that there were several messages. Opening one of the unread message, Aomine found Kise's short '_where are you_' flashed against the silver backlight. He deleted the message before stashing the phone back into his pocket.

The play was outstanding; Kise's hard work on single-handedly wrote, directed and starred the short musical version of the world-renowned opera play was paid off. Aomine recognized the look of enchantment in the eyes of the audiences next to him, as they enjoyed the show. However, Aomine found it hard to concentrate on the performance himself for a particular reason: The existence of both Kuroko and Kise on the same stage was too distracting. From scene to scene, Aomine found himself unconsciously fisted his palm whenever he saw even the slightest contact of Kuroko and Kise; their shoulder brushed, they interacted in a scene. The view was too much, too blinding for Aomine to take in.

When the performance ended, and everybody stood up to give Kise the ovation he deserved, Aomine remained still on his seat. It was then when the curtain drew close, and the audience left the venue for a short recess before the next performance, that Aomine walked over the stage and left a bouquet of flower he brought for his lover.

Stuck on the transparent plastic wrapping was a purple note with simple handwritten words of _'Congratulation on your well-deserved reward'_. The bouquet consisted of blooming stems of yellow roses, flower which Aomine had conveniently learned to be the language of infidelity.

-xxx-

It had been few days since Aomine confronted Kuroko after the class, and he had not heard anything from the younger boy ever since. Aomine was anxious, but he decided that he would deliver his promise to wait so all he did was obsessively checking out his cell-phone from time to time. He still came to the diner at random time, usually after his routine practice with the varsity football team, but he restrained himself from coming in when he saw that Kuroko was on duty.

During the time when Aomine was waiting for contact from Kuroko, he had spent some time with Kise; the latter seemed to have more spare time after his graduation musical project was finished. They had dinner or spent the afternoon together at each other's dorm room. Talk, more talk, and sometimes dinner in silence none of them attempted any kind of physical interaction, and none of them seemed to mind.

Throughout each of their meetings, Aomine had deliberately paid more attention to the face of the man he loved- or _used to _love. Kise was as beautiful as the first time Aomine laid eyes on him; soft, fair skin and all. But Aomine could not help but notice the lack of spark in his straightly staring, golden eyes, or the usual smile that adorned his lips. Gone had also his playfulness, his explosive bouts of emotions, and Aomine could tell there was another reason than exhaustion which Kise claimed. Somehow, Aomine had his own guess regarding what the other reason was.

His suspicion was confirmed, when one morning he received a message from Kuroko on his phone.

_'I'm ready to talk'_, Kuroko wrote him.

-xxx-

"I was involved with someone."

Kuroko's blunt statement was pretty unsettling, especially when Aomine had just settled on his seat, not yet had the chance to even put down his backpack. Kuroko had requested to meet at the university library; choosing the abandoned rows of shelves at the ancient theology section, where nobody would likely to come except during exam period, for a place to meet.

"Excuse me?"

Kuroko drew in a deep breath, his face solemn. "When I told you that I still have some unfinished business as the reason why I couldn't go out with you, I was actually involved with someone else."

"You mean..." Aomine did not realize that he was holding his breath. "You were in a relationship?"

"I don't know... sort of." Kuroko said tentatively, "I mean, the person I was with- well, he already had a boyfriend. We never actually made it official. It just sort of happened, him and I, so I guess... yeah, I was in a relationship but not in the conventional sense."

"You know that the guy already have a boyfriend but you're still going out with him?"

Kuroko shrugged, "Like I said, it just sort of happened. I didn't say that there wasn't any guilt. But he and I, we were bound together by mutual need. We found solace in each other's company."

"You could have told me." Aomineo said. "I wouldn't have bugged you around if I know that my chance is slim to none-"

"No, don't you get it?" Kuroko said. "I couldn't do it, Aomine-kun. I couldn't resist you."

"What do you mean?" Aomine frowned.

"What you did, you came on direct and honest. You have no hesitation about showing what you feel, and I couldn't help but enjoy every second when I was with you. And then there's my other relationship..."

Kuroko paused for a moment, and Aomine could tell that he was struggling.

"I know I've hurt someone- I realized as much. That's why I don't want do it anymore. That's why I decided that if I'm going to do this- with you, I'm going to do it right..."

Kuroko shifted closer and pressed his palms on Aomine's broad chest. "I know this is probably too much, and I know that you probably want to change your mind as soon as you know. But I decided that I would come clean."

The kiss came next, and this time Aomine could no longer feel any hesitation in the way the bluenette's lips captured his. Aomine leaned in as he sighed into the kiss, moving Kuroko's hands away from his chest and reduced the space between them until there were none. Around them were shelves of old and damp-smelling books, but all Aomine knew was that Kuroko's lips were overwhelmingly sweet, and Aomine was lost within their softness. Like he couldn't have enough of it. Like he could survive solely by Kuroko's kisses only.

But Aomine wasn't lost enough to disregard the small statement that Kuroko whispered into his mouth.

"I love you, Aomine Daiki..."

-xxx-

Aomine couldn't actually recall how or why, but after he bid farewell to Kuroko that afternoon, he found himself walking towards Kise's dorm instead of his own. He absentmindedly knocked on the door for a while until he realized that it wasn't unlocked, then he allowed himself to go in.

"Kise..."

Silence came following the lack of reply, and Aomine ventured deeper. The room unusually dark- it was still a couple hours before sundown- Aomine noticed that the curtains and blinds had all been shut. Kise was a creature of habit, Aomine remembered, and this was one of his antiques. His boyfriend seemed to have sensitivity toward light, hence the blackout, whenever he had a hangover or after he spent the whole night awake and troubled.

Walking toward the opposite end of the room, Aomine began to hear the small, stifled sobs. He noticed that the door to the bathroom was slightly ajar; a small nudge of Aomine's fingertips opened it wider. Through the opening gap Aomine saw Kise crouched inside the bathtub; his skin had begun to shrivel and his lips blue. The stifled sobs, that Aomine heard earlier escaped from him, restrained solely by his self control.

"Kise," Aomine came quickly to his side. "What happened? Look at you- you're freezing! How long have you been here?"

"I- I'm fine, I just- need to take a bath..." Kise managed to say.

Aomine touched the water; it was cold. Kise had probably been inside the water for a while. Aomine quickly snatched the plug off, allowing the water to flow into the drain in a tiny spiral current. The next thing he did was wordlessly patting Kise's body dry with the towel he found at the usual cabinet above the sink, and carried him back into the room. The only response Kise had shown throughout the process was how his sobs grew stronger.

It took another while for Aomine to convince Kise to put on some clothes he had recklessly pulled out of Kise's wardrobe- the ensemble was not even remotely aesthetic, which Kise would frown upon if only he was in his usual state, but neither of them could care less. A while later, as Kise's sobs began to subside, over a cup of hot chocolate he had made, Aomine carefully crafted his question.

"What's wrong, Kise? Tell me?"

Kise shook his head, his eyes adamantly stared at the dissolving steam over his cup of chocolate. "I just feel like nothing goes well in my life recently."

"I thought your graduation project finished brilliantly. Didn't you receive a positive review from the performance art periodical?"

"My study... my future career, yes. But life isn't all about achievement, is it? I mean... my co-star, my partner, he suddenly disappeared and-"

Aomine couldn't have mistaken the tremble in Kise's voice, as well as the deliberate pause he took when he spoke the carefully chosen word. He waited for Kise to continue with his statement, but his boyfriend chose instead to switch the subject.

"...Anyway, what about us, Aominecchi?" That time, Kise raised his stare to meet Aomine's. "What have become of us?"

Aomine frowned. "What do you mean?"

"In the last few occasions that we spent together, how come you didn't touch me even once? I know you probably thought that I was too tired, but I just wished that you would try."

"No, Kise, don't start." Aomine's voice tensed. "Don't try to make it about me."

"But _it is_! It's always about you, Aominecchi. Everything that happened, from the day you walked into my life, it's all been about you!" The tears that were momentarily gone began to return to Kise's eyes; clear droplets fell from the corner of his eyes. "Why did you stop loving me?"

"Kise," Aomine involuntarily raised his voice, "I never-"

"Then why, even after you've seen me in such mess, are you not trying to comfort me?" Kise's eyes were fiery, contrasting to his labored word and the streaming tears. "Why didn't you take me in your arms like you used to do?"

Aomine could not figure out an answer toward the question- accusation- for he had been asking himself why touching Kise, his boyfriend, felt so wrong. All he did was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring outside through the narrow gap on the slightly opened window, and wondered himself where everything began to go wrong.

-xxx-

The fragrant smell of homemade cooking embraced Aomine's senses as soon as he stood in front of Kuroko's apartment. The smell intensified as he opened the door- Kuroko had developed a habit to keep the door open whenever Aomine was coming- and walked into the tiny place. He navigated himself around; placing the grocery bag that contained mostly of beer and snacks on the low coffee table, before coming to the kitchen where Kuroko could be found.

"Okonomiyaki? What a lovely surprise..." Aomine sneaked behind the younger boy and placed his hands on Kuroko's tiny hips, kissing the expanse of his milky nape.

"Aomine-kun- let go!" Kuroko wriggled in Aomine's capture, laughing softly. "I might spill this on us."

Kuroko gestured Aomine to wait at the living room with a serious look on his face, and Aomine could not help following the order. He popped open a can of beer and idly shuffled through the pages of the basketball magazine he had in his bag, while occasionally glancing at Kuroko's busy back. It took a while until the younger boy turned off the stove, and carried the big stone bowl in his protected hands to the coffee table.

"Why okonomiyaki so suddenly?" Aomine asked, his eyes carefully thread over the younger boy's delicate facial outline.

"Well..." Kuroko's voice trailed off, too busy cutting the vegetables inside the small bowl into smaller pieces. "It's summer already. And you seemed so tired whenever I got to see you recently. So I figured, with the heatwave and the basketball practice, okonomiyaki might be good for you."

Aomine felt a tiny but sharp twinge in his chest, the gesture of Kuroko's sincerity felt like a pricking thorn for his conscience. Ever since they got together, it seemed like Kuroko kept no reservation. Every day, he came with his usual soft smile- warm and embracing, and honest stare. At first Aomine thought he knew the person he was dealing with. He couldn't be more wrong, apparently, for Kuroko was someone altogether different.

_"I had gone through a relationship where everything was about self control and discretion. It wasn't exactly wrong, given the circumstances. But right now, with you, I'm not going to hold myself back." Kuroko paused and landed a peck on Aomine's cheek, the corner of his lips curved up in a smile. "Consider yourself warned, Aomine-kun."_

Kuroko's affection was like an endless stream of mountain water that ran along Aomine's creek. He had tried, God knows he did, not to get used to the comfort. It was, however, impossible. Aomine couldn't help but admit, how he was slowly carried away by its current. -xxx-

On that summer, together they celebrated Kuroko's coming of age. Aomine brought along with him, as he visited Kuroko's place, a bottle of cheap red wine. They finished the bottle in no time, and found out that it wasn't even remotely enough, then together they hunted more alcohol at nearby liquor store.

A couple of hours, half a dozen bottles of soju and many kisses later, Aomine found himself pinning a very naked, slightly drunk Kuroko on the bed. The boy's soft, blue hair fell contrast upon the pale green bedding; silky strands that caught the reflection of light. Kuroko's fingers traced the contour of Aomine's abs; eyes half closed, his lips parted invitingly. His skin was like a canvas, an expanse of white; the red flush on his cheek slowly crept down to his neck and chest.

There was something different in Kuroko's eyes, something that he had not shown before. Aomine watched how the spark slowly subsided as his pupil dilated, his eyes grew darker and deeper. Gone had the teenager Aomine knew. Kuroko had transformed into a creature made of pure and raw sensuality. His touches were confident, feathery strokes and gentle pressures that drew illicit moan from Aomine's mouth. The younger one easily managed for them to exchange position, Kuroko was now hovering above Aomine. His gaze followed the path made by his fingertips that traveled along the chest, down to Aomine's taut belly, before the fingers took a firm grasp around the dark teen's erection.

"God- Tetsu..." Aomine threw his head back as Kuroko nuzzled at the base of his cock, licking his way up to the tip, before his warm mouth closed over the head.

Kuroko was direct; he did not tease, not even hesitated, and he aimed to please. He took almost the whole length of Aomine's cock into his mouth, and worked his fingers with the part that remained untouched by his lips. He did not resisted when Aomine's fingers grabbed a mass of hair at the back of his head, not even flinched when the dark teen began to push deeper into his mouth.

Kuroko only stopped when Aomine told him that he was going to come, his eyes were teary and lips swollen then, and said that he wanted Aomine to come inside of him. Aomine couldn't help but wonder where he gained his confidence, his _skill_, and it was when the image of Kise flashed inside his mind.

Once again they shifted position- Aomine almost too eager to have Kuroko lied on his stomach, earning a questioning look from the younger boy even though in the end he still complied. The thought spread like cancer, rapid and effective, and Aomine wasn't sure if he could do it while staring into Kuroko's face. He began to think if Kuroko had treated Kise the same way, if the feeling Aomine experienced was once belong to his.

As he rocked himself back and forth, moving in and out of Kuroko's body, Aomine couldn't help but wondering if there would ever be something- emotion, expression, or sensation- that had not been claimed by Kise, that belonged to him and Kuroko only. -xxx-  
>It was the first of September, which marked the arrival of Autumn, when Kise dropped by at Aomine's dorm and shared the news that he received a dance fellowship at The Julliard School. The program might open Kise's opportunity to get into Broadway, something he had always dreamed. He also said that he should leave shortly after Kanto holiday, which was less than a month away.<p>

None of them attempted to open a discussion regarding their relationship, not even when they spent fifteen minutes in awkward silent before Kise finally left.

-xxx-

It hadn't been a week since the announcement, when Aomine discovered Kise's attempts to contact Kuroko. That afternoon he had been asleep after the sex they just had, when the gentle buzz of Kuroko's phone woke him up. Kuroko's side of bed was empty, and judging from the dull noise of running water, Aomine assumed that he was in the shower. Aomine reluctantly stirred and reached out for the phone, intending to hand it over to his lover.

It was then that Aomine read the name on the led display, '_Kise-kun_'.

His first reaction was to drop the phone as if it was a scorching coal that burned his hand. The device fell back onto the bed with a soft thumping sound, still vibrated for another few seconds until Kise gave up and disconnected. Aomine stared at the phone, his hand reached out tentatively. The small device buzzed once again in his hand, only shorter that time, together with the appearance of incoming mail notification.

Aomine did not waste any time to think. Against his better judgment, he keyed open Kuroko's phone- feeling thankful that the younger boy unbothered to put on password- and access the inbox. He could deal with the guilt of prying into Kuroko's business later.

_'This is probably going to be the last time I'm going to try contacting you. I'm leaving the country soon, whether with or without a closure. However, I deserve at least a chance to meet, and have you explained to me directly about why you suddenly pushed me away. Please, I'm begging you.'_

Aomine wondered what kind of expression Kise had when he typed the message. Was he crying? Was he upset or desperate? The next second, though, Aomine found himself typing a reply to Kise's mail.

_'You're right. I wasn't being fair to you. Come to my place around this time tomorrow. I will be waiting._

Another message from Kise arrived, with a simple _'Thank you'_ in it

Aomine managed to delete the call record, as well as the messages in both the phone's inbox and outbox, before Kuroko came into the room. Only his lower body was wrapped in thick cotton towel, and he smiled upon seeing that Aomine was awake.

"You're awake, Aomine-kun?"

Aomine nodded, "You have a part time schedule this afternoon?"

"Yeah, my friend called sick and asked me to cover his shift." He smiled apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You're free tomorrow, right? Can I come by sometime after lunch?"

"Sure! Are you going to stay until dinner?"

Aomine smiled at the younger boy, ruffling his damp hair and said, "Let's see about that." -xxx-  
>Giddiness was what Aomine felt as he walked along the path from the train station to Kuroko's apartment the next day. He stopped by at odd places several times, trying to calm his heartbeat, before finally reached the building. Kuroko answered the door as soon as Aomine knocked, his usual welcoming smile was there for the dark teen to see.<p>

"Hey, Aomine-kun, you're quick. Have you had lunch?"

Aomine shook his head, "Food can wait..." He lowered his head for a kiss.

Kuroko raised his eyebrows in surprise. "This is definitely a pleasant surprise."

"You have no idea. I want to make love to you right now." Aomine smirked. Taking Kuroko's hand, he led them to the bed. "Come on!"

"Whoa!" Kuroko exclaimed as Aomine gently pushed him to lie on his back. "You're serious."

"Of course I am..." Aomine lazily replied, his hand toyed with the buttons of Kuroko's shirt before undid them one by one. "The only thing I want to do this afternoon is fucking you. You don't want it?"

"No, I want it." Kuroko quickly replied, and felt embarrassed for being slightly too enthusiastic. He repeated his statement, his tone calmer as his hand gently cupped Aomine's cheek, drawing it closer for a kiss. "I really, really want it..."

It was nothing like the sex they ever had before. First, Aomine had stripped Kuroko naked, before he began his exploration on the younger boy's body. He took his time, generously showered the flawless skin with kisses, while his hand ever so slowly jerked the bluenette's length. Aomine removed his grip around Kuroko's cock when he noticed that the younger boy's body began to tense.

"Don't come just yet, not before I fuck you."

Kuroko bit his lips in anticipation, and squirmed as Aomine's lubricant-coated fingers began to circle and tease his opening. He instinctively spread his legs wider, his own hands secured the limbs at the back of the knees, providing more access. Aomine's eyes darkened upon witnessing Kuroko's shamelessness, the lack of hesitation from the younger boy somehow stirred up the beast inside of him. Slowly, his finger pushed into Kuroko knuckle deep, before he pulled it out again and pushed back in repeatedly.

Below him, Kuroko began to trash around. Thin layer of sweat formed on the younger boy's forehead. Aomine added the second finger then, and continued to finger fuck Kuroko. He smiled upon hearing the younger boy's small, suppressed moans; his teeth bared and incidentally brushed against the bluenette's nipple.

"Don't hold yourself back, Tetsu," He said, "I like to hear you out..."

"Please Aomine-kun, please..." Kuroko said breathlessly. "Take me..."

-xxx-

The familiar view of the hallway that led to Kuroko's apartment welcomed Kise, and for a second he closed his eyes upon the painful sensation of his constricting chest. It used to be a place that he frequented, the place where he found solace from the loneliness of having Aomine prioritized football over him. And yet, as Kise walked along the narrow corridor, the old wooden floor beneath his feet creaked with every step he made, he got to realize that the familiarity was no longer there. To him, it was just another foreign place he happened to be.

Finding Kuroko's apartment, Kise raised his hand tentatively before turning the doorknob open, knowing that Kuroko never put the lock during day. The anxiety attacked him as soon as he stepped into the flat, noticing the unfamiliar scent in the air, how the place no longer had evidences of his presence. For a moment, Kise found himself holding back his tears.

"Kurokocchi, I'm here." He called. No reply came, and instead he heard noises from the direction of Kuroko's bedroom.

A sudden feeling of uneasiness hit Kise. A major part of his intuition told him to turn his back around and leave, for something was definitely wrong. However, he had come with a purpose. The persistent need to find out about the reason of Kuroko's sudden change of heart had won over his intuition. Bracing himself, he pushed the door that led toward the bedroom.

The shock came sudden, strong, as soon as Kise saw what was revealed by the opened door.

-xxx-

"Tetsu..." Aomine said in between his labored breath. "What would you do if your ex happens to be here, seeing us like this...?"

"What are you talking about, Aomine-kun-" Kuroko whined, eyes shut as his legs drew Aomine's hip closer. "Stop saying such thing..."

"Amuse me." Aomine pressed, stressing on by stopping his movement while his cock was deeply buried inside Kuroko's body. "Come on..."

Kuroko tried to budge his hips to get some release. However, Aomine's weight that pinned him down was no match for Kuroko's strength, especially when he was so close to the orgasm that Aomine denied him from. Desperate tears escaped from the corner of his closed eyes.

"I don't really care, Aomine-kun. He could watch for all I care. Just... don't stop." Kuroko pleaded. "Please Aomine-kun, I'm so close."

Aomine seemed to find his answer satisfactory, for the next second he slowly pulled out and back to rocking his hips in a slow, steady rhythm.

"By the way, Tetsu..." Aomine whispered. His hand caressed Kuroko's cheek, before nudging the boy to look at the direction of the door.

"Meet my boyfriend, Kise Ryouta..."

-xxx-

It didn't take long until Kuroko came- despite the state they were in, his body couldn't apparently deny its biology- and Aomine followed shortly later. The older boy came hard all over Kuroko's belly and chest, and pulled himself away from the bluenette to put his clothes back on. Kuroko felt cold and exposed, and he knew he should do something to cover his nakedness.

He was, however, unable to move due to the shock. His eyes drifted from Kise to Aomine, to the empty ceiling above his head. And it was when he realized, as his mind slowly putting together the pieces, just what kind of set up he was in.

-xxx-

Kise could not comprehend the complexity of the view before his eyes. It all seemed impossible; Aomine and Kuroko together. It was as if he was thrown into a hardboiled B-rated movies, with sick plot consisted of lies and deceit.

However, if there _were_ lies and deceit, then they were partly his. Upon the realization, Kise's eyes grew hot. The tears he had managed to hold back so far finally fell.

-xxx-

Aomine had finished putting on his clothes, and was tying his shoelaces. He had done it; the payback. He had played it even. The expression he saw on both Kuroko's and Kise's face was the trophy of his victory. However, he couldn't get rid of the tiny speck of guilt that lingered at the corner of his conscience. Not even when he walked past Kise, their shoulder brushed, and with his cold voice he whispered close in his lover's ear.

"My farewell gift to you..."

Not even when he was closing the door of the bedroom, and saw for the last time, the two men who had been his life and his death.


End file.
